It served in the East African Campaign, Western Desert, Tunisia, and Italy, reaching Austria by the end of World War II.

The squadron deployed to Kenya in August 1940, and in September started operations in Italian East Africa supporting the South African 1st Division.

[5] In September 1941, after a brief period back in South Africa, the squadron's personnel were flown to Egypt to join the Desert Air Force.

The squadron's pilots soon learnt to operate in pairs and to stay out of range of small arms fire from the ground, to reduce casualties; however, as Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps prepared to go on the offensive, Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters concentrated on intercepting Tac.R aircraft.

This reduced the rate of losses; and it continued until the Axis breakthrough at the battle of Bir Hakeim in June 1942, when fighter squadrons were given other priorities.

In July 1942 the squadron was operating once again from Burg-el-Arab during the First Battle of El Alamein, as the German offensive slowed and stopped; the crisis having passed, it moved out of the line for rest and re-equipment.

The squadron converted to the Hurricane Mk.II and in late October it moved up to Burg-el-Adem in preparation for the Second Battle of El Alamein, supporting X Corps (the unit formed to break out).

Enemy fighter activity had been limited while the Germans were in full retreat, but stabilisation of the line changed that; most Tac.Rs were intercepted, and the casualty rate rose steeply.

As Eighth Army advanced through Libya into Tunisia, the squadron continued to fly Tac.R and Photo Recce sorties in support.

A few days after the beachhead had been established, the squadron moved to a Sicilian landing-ground and continued with its usual workload in support of XIII Corps.

Although the sortie was therefore in vain, I can assure you that it would not have been possible to carry out the operation without the information obtained from the photographs, which incidentally are the best I have ever seen.”[citation needed] After the Siciilan campaign ended on 18 August 1943, the squadron started on long range recce of the toe of Italy and low level oblique photography of the Italian coast.

The squadron ceased operations early in September and withdrew to North Africa to re-equip with the Spitfire IX in its clipped-wing form.

Please convey our appreciation to the pilot who took these pictures as obviously he took great risks in flying so low to procure such splendid photographs.”[citation needed] The squadron continued to move with the Army, five times in June and twice in July.

In Autumn 1944, the squadron settled at the former Regia Aeronautica base at Forli, enjoying concrete runways and all the amenities of an established station.

The four squadron pilots had agreed that if one had to ditch for lack of fuel, they all should: and just as the first had reported that his tanks were showing empty, another saw an island in the murk.

The detachment was based on Kalamaki Airfield near Athens, this time flying Spitfire VBs which had previously been used by a Greek squadron.

Over the next month it made 93 sorties without loss; these included long range Tac.Rs, Target Search Arty.Rs and Arty.Rs, as well as pathfinder missions for Beaufighters and Spitfires.